(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a paint waste separating and collecting apparatus for use with a spraying booth. More particularly, the spraying booth includes a cleaning device for receiving an exhaust gas laden with overspray mist and paint waste solids falling from a booth floor, and for discharging such paint waste by means of cleaning water. The paint waste separating and collecting apparatus comprises a separator tank for receiving the cleaning water discharged from the cleaning device and allowing the paint waste to float and separate from the cleaning water, and a circulating passage for returning the cleaning water stripped of the paint waste from the separator tank to the cleaning device thereby to recycle the cleaning water.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
In known paint waste separating and collecting apparatus as noted above, paint waste accumulated in flotation in the separator tank is directly transferred to a collector vessel by controlling a water level of the separator tank, or a flotation tank is provided between the spraying booth and the separator tank and paint waste is transferred from the flotation tank through the separator tank to a collector vessel. Such an apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,100,066, for example. In this prior apparatus, paint laden cleaning water is caused to flow upward from a bottom of the separator tank. The water level is controlled by a complicated operation of a plurality of valves mounted on pipes connected to the separator tank. Further, a bubbling dvice is provided to promote flotation and collection of paint waste sediments in the separator tank.
The above apparatus, however, has a complicated construction and is prone to run into trouble as a result of the paint waste clogging the valves, for example, which necessitates frequent maintenance operations. The apparatus also has the disadvantage of involving a complicated valve operation for controlling the water level.
Particularly where the flotation tank is not provided between the spraying booth and the separator tank and the paint waste is transferred directly from the separator tank to the collector vessel, trouble in the water level control system or in the transportation of the collector vessel into and out of the apparatus would require the circulation of the cleaning water and the operation of the separator tank to be stopped for repair work. Since the cleaning device must be stopped during the repair operation, a spraying line must also be put out of operation in the case of a continuous spraying booth, for example.